This is the official Blog for Tony Horton, creator of Power 90, Power Half Hour and P90X.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Pain & Suffering

At the age of 47 I'm begging to realize how much my fitness and healthy lifestyle is preventing the pain and suffering that many of my peers are going through. It's freaky and somewhat sad to see a lot of my friends fall apart. I've been watching many of the people in my life slowly age in the traditional way. It's that ache in the back, knees & shoulder talk I hear all of the time. Fit and active kids, teens and young adults are turning into old men and women right before my eyes. Thin friends from high school and collage are now obese. Most of them are resolved to the idea that this is a normal pattern in life. They say it's genetic or bad luck or some other environmental phenomenon. I have heard them say that it's too late to turn nature's events around. It was this way with their parents, so it's inevitable that it will happen to them. They talk like 40 and beyond is the beginning of the end.

I can not tell you how crazy all this is. I've seen hundreds of stories of people in their 30's, 40's, 50s, 60s, 70's and beyond turn nature on it's ass. What happens to our hope and optimism as we get older? Are we letting life beat us down to the point where we think all the fun stops at 30? Is youth left for the young? The answer is NO! Can you turn it around after 40? Hell YES! The first step is believing it can happen. The "This is what happens when you get older." talk has got to stop. It has to be replaced with something, anything that gets you to make better choices every day. Turning an old ground in thought pattern around isn't easy. I've got friends & family I can't seem to help. There needs to be a tipping point (something extraordinary) that shifts the balance. Maybe it's a mentor, book or heart attack. Something that says life can get better through better choices.

You're only good at the things you do often. If you're telling yourself often enough that life after 40 is full of aches, pains and suffering from one aliment or another then it will be true. If you wake up every day committed to do something that demolishes those incorrect negative thoughts then you will create a happy, healthy, youthful life, no matter what age you are.

17 comments:

Mary Mc
said...

Great post, Tony! I completely agree with you. Look what I've done since 49! I only get better with time! :-) Positive thinking and an action plan made and then carried out makes all the difference. Power on!

Hey Tony baby, we're not getting older, we're getting better! YOU are the one that turned my life around and I will always be grateful for your love and friendship! It's never too late to get yourself in shape. If you are over 40 then you know that life is like a speeding train, and you better darn well jump on that train and get yourself healthy if you want to live and enjoy retirement age. That kind of talk you mentioned is all around, even dr's tell us "You're not getting younger you know, this is what happens when you get older"Well I for one am not listening to those negative voices. I HAVE done something about my poor eating choices and sedentary lifestyle. Thanks to you Tony (my friend and mentor) I exercise 5 days a week and eat healthy 98% of the week.I am 1/2 the size I was 2 years ago, I am strong and healthy, and I am lovin life!You reach more people than you realize Tony. I am sorry your family and friends haven't reached their "tipping" point yet. You know you can't do it for them. Just keep on being the loving friend to them you are, keep encouraging them, and keep on setting the great example that I know you do.Love, love, love you my friend! Phyllis

Hola Tony, I totally understand. I just went to my dr and thankfully, she is more positive about what I need to do than giving me that talk. She is fit and encourages me to continue my journey. I just had a co-worker loose a brother to an aneurism. He fainted, had surgery, coma for a week and then died in his 40's. This should be a wake up call for her and her family. The problem is the negativism in her. She does eat "healthy" yet she refuses to do what she needs to work out. She knows that she has to do it, but it is stuck in that mentality as well. I refuse to live like that. My mother died at 37. I will be 37 next year and I feel as much as 18/21 as I did back then. I actually am doing what I need to stay ahead of the program. The support of my friends and family have helped. They understand that what I am doing is for life and for me. I don't want to die next year cause I didn't care for myself. I refuse to go out without enjoying life and giving my kids the best example to stay fit and active for the rest of their lives!.BTW, I went out dancing on Friday! FUN FUN FUN!! Miss ya!

Hi Tony,It was great chatting with you last night. Your words are so inspiring as usual. My mom had very high tryglycerrides and cholesterol, my dad takes cholesterol medication. Since I have basically put them somewhat on my diet they are doing sooooooo much better. My dad's cholesterol was down to 121 and my mom's tryglycerides and cholesterol are down to normal levels. Mom by the way is not taking any medication. She lowered her tryglycerrides and cholesterol through diet and exercise. She still hates me though for not letting her have cookies. LOL. I will try to find those cookies that you recommended last night. Thank so much.

Hello Tony,Today I turned 46 and I can honestly say when I look in the mirror I am happy with the way I look and feel. I have always lead a relatively healthy lifestyle and am so glad I did. I started P90 9 months ago then graduated to P90X. I have put more muscle on in the last 9 months than I ever have. For those people who say they can't change their lifestyle and complain constantly about their aches, pains and depression I say Boo Hoo quit crying I don't want to here it because you have choices. For those of us who made good choices for your health Cheers to You!!!

I wish I could get my parents on the bandwagon, but nothing seems to be pushing their buttons hard enough. I hate it when I see my mom have trouble walking because of arthritis and being overweight... and my dad, who thinks eating twice a day is good for him. Le sigh. You'd think I'd be an inspiration and motivation for them, but I guess it's not enough.

I'm 52 and look and feel better than many people I know that are even younger. I had a doctor tell me he thought I had MS. I refused to accecpt this and changed my life to a healther life style. I push play everyday even if I don't feel like it, within a few minutes everything is okay! My brother-in-law have a running joke about "Power Half Hour will change your life". He's eight years younger than I am and I tell him everyday this is the new 50!. Thanks Tony, it has changed my mine!

Hi Tony,Thank you so much for the suggestion to get Uncle Eddy's Vegan cookies. I am no longer in the dog house. Mom loves them. I don't usually eat cookies but I loved them too. Thx again for the suggestion.

HI TONY!! THIS TOPIC REMINDS ME OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES FROM COWBOY BEEBOP. FAYE IS SUNBATHING AND SLATHERING SKINCARE ON HERSELF AS ED LOOKS ON. FAYE TELLS HERE SUMTHIN LIKE WHAT SHE IS DOING IS AN IMPORTANT BEAUTY REGIME THAT MUST BE KEPT UP VIGILANTLY BUT IS ULTIMATELY FUTILE. HEALTH AND BEAUTY ARE DEFINATELY WORTHY PURSUITS, BUT IT WILL ALL PASS AWAY NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.

I dunno alfasushine seen some awesome 80 year olds doing the triathlon they may not be beautiful but they are in amazing shape. I relate Tony my husband is aging before my eyes, cant get off the couch cause his back hurts etc. etc. Yet he watches me workout everyday and get in better and better shape. But still nothing moves him from that couch. I dont get it, why you would embrass feeling old. But I for one will fight it everystep of the way. I am with you Tony, trying to do new and exciting things every year and will never ever say I cant do that I am too old. Debby1

So true! I'm 47 as well and I am smaller and in better shape than when I graduated high school! Once I completed P90 I just went on to other BB programs but I also play chase with my younger kids, Do family walks, climb on monkey bars, swim, play basketball in the driveway and we play kids games in the backyard as well as pick up games of soccer with my older kids. I don't know as much about the game as they do but I can keep up with running all over the yard now! All of this also helps our children develop a healthy lifestyle! Physical activity is just part of their life! So many of my friends gave up on fitness and used the excuse that after having babies you can't get your body back in the shape it was before. I'm living proof that thought process is dead wrong! Your tip to workout in the AM and schedule my workouts like I would my business appointments has been the key to my success! I worked out before but never with the determination or consistancy that I have now! My workouts are scheduled each morning. Anything else that I add in later in the day is just gravy! Since committing to fitness when I purchased P90, I have rarely even caught a cold! I have women in my neighborhood that are having all sorts of physical problems and they are 10 years younger than me. People ask me how I stay so youthful. I tell them it starts with what I use as put in my body(food), staying hydrated and exercising my mind as well as my body! ;)